I first created this simple Mesh Stitch bag to be used as a laundry bag for little crocheted face scrubbies, so they wouldn’t get lost amongst the other items in the washing machine. However, as I was busy crocheting, my mind started thinking of other uses for the bag. Depending on the size, you could also use the bag to wash your delicates/lingerie (ie/ bra straps not becoming tangled up with other items in the wash), a bath toy bag, or even a bag to hang dry your camping dishes in.  This would also make a lovely gift bag! Myself, I will be using the smaller bag for laundering face scrubbies, and the larger bag, I will buy some suction cups with hooks on them, and hang the bag in the bathtub for bath toys!

QUEUE OR FAVORITE ❤ THIS PATTERN ON RAVELRY!

smaller bag

larger bag

Multi-Purpose Cotton Mesh Bag

© 2018 Amanda Bryant

Materials Used:

Peaches & Cream cotton yarn (I had about a ½ cone of yarn- about 7 oz worth- leftover from another project, and I was able to make two of these bags from it, with plenty remaining for *probably* a third bag)

Size 5.75 mm hook

Stitch markers

Yarn needle (for weaving in ends)

Abbreviations Used (American Terminology):

Ch- chain

Dc/Dcs- double crochet/s

Sk- skip

St- stitch

Sp/Sps- space/spaces

Ch Sp- chain space

Gauge: in (dc, ch 1) pattern, 8 stitches= 4 inches, and 8 rounds= 4 inches

Finished Measurements:  smaller bag- 5 inches wide x 9 ½ inches tall; larger bag- 7 ½ inches wide x 9 ½ inches tall

Instructions:

For the smaller bag- Ch 23; (for the larger bag- Ch 33). To make a bag of a different size from the pattern below, simply make a foundation ch of any even number + 3. Then follow the pattern instructions as written.

Round 1- Dc in 5th ch from hook (counts as dc, ch 1, dc), ch 1, *(sk next ch, dc in next ch, ch 1) repeat from * across row. Turn work to work in other side of foundation chain. Sk the first ch, dc in first skipped ch of foundation chain , ch 1, **(dc in next skipped ch, ch 1), repeat from ** across, join with a sl st in the beginning dc (the 2nd ch of the foundation chain)  = 20 ch sps & 20 dcs (30 ch sps & 30 dcs) around.

Round 2- sl st in the first ch sp, ch 3 (counts as a dc, ch 1), *(dc in the next ch sp, ch 1), repeat from * around. Join with a sl st in the second ch of the beginning ch-3

Repeat round 2 until desired length (on both of my bags I repeated round 2 for a total of 18 rounds)

**Optional Hanging Loop (if you don’t want a hanging loop, skip this step and proceed to “last round”)– Place a st marker in a ch-sp where you want the hanging loop to be (or on either side of the bag if you want 2 hanging loops, for example if you want to use the bag as a bath toy bag- in which case you could hang it off of 2 suction cups)- SEE PHOTO BELOW *the safety pins are my stitch markers!

Next, ch 2 (counts as a dc), then dc in each ch-sp and in each dc up to the stitch marker. *Dc in the sp where the st marker is placed. Ch 10 (or longer, if you want a bigger hanging loop), sl st in the first ch (-the ch furthest from the hook, which will form a loop). Dc in next dc, and in each ch-sp and dc around (if making 2 hanging loops, repeat from * to end of round). Join with a sl st to the beginning dc. Fasten off. Your bag should resemble the photo below:

Last round (only if you did not make a hanging loop)- ch 2 (counts as dc), dc in each ch-sp and dc around, join with a sl st to beg dc= 40 dc around (60 dc around).  Fasten off. Your bag should resemble the photo above, minus the hanging loop.

**Optional- Chain tie/drawstring- for the smaller bag ch 70, for the larger bag ch 100

Weave ch tie through the ch spaces in the round before the last round. Or, instead of making a chain, you could use a long shoe lace as the tie. If you are using it as a laundry bag,  I don’t recommend using ribbon as it would fray in the wash. But ribbon would look nice if you are using it as a gift bag!

Weave in all loose ends.